Hollywood’s latest box-office surge is rooted in faith. Angel’s upcoming musical “David” has already pulled in more than $14 million in pre-sale tickets, while Fathom Entertainment’s theatrical run of “The Chosen” has earned over $116 million domestically.
Surge of Faith-Based Content
The rise of religious storytelling has moved beyond big-budget streaming dramas. In 2024, animated biblical films, docudramas, and series are drawing record audiences. Angel’s “David” and the first season of Fox Nation’s “The Saints” are early examples.
Key Success Stories and Numbers
- Angel’s “David” pre-sales exceed $14 million ahead of its Friday release.
- Fathom Entertainment distributed “The Chosen” theatrically in 2023, grossing more than $116 million in the U.S.
- Lionsgate will release the sequel to the 2018 biopic “I Can Only Imagine” in February, and will distribute the first part of Gibson’s two-part sequel to “The Passion of the Christ” in 2027.
- Angel plans to release “Zero A.D.,” a biblical epic about the Massacre of the Innocents, in 2026.
Industry Perspectives
Traci Blackwell, head of targeted content for Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said at a Variety event that “there has been a revival, a revolution of spirituality and faith content.” Amazon’s 2024 premiere of “House of David” and its exclusive U.S. streaming rights to “The Chosen” are part of that trend.
Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst, noted that Hollywood has faced criticism from faith communities for lacking films that reflect their values. He highlighted the box-office potential of faith-based projects.
Angel CEO and co-founder Neal Harmon recalled, “It was like pulling teeth to get people to watch it.” He added that breaking the stereotype of faith films as cheesy or preachy was key to success.
Co-director Andrew Erwin said, “For the first time, movie studios are really giving us a fair shake,” adding that improved storytelling and filmmaking knowledge have raised quality.
Lionsgate’s upcoming releases and future projects underscore the industry’s willingness to invest in religious narratives.
Defining Faith-Based
The label remains contested. Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus in “The Chosen,” told the AP that the series is “a historical drama that centers on Jesus” and is not overtly Christian. Other films, such as “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” “The Testament of Ann Lee,” “The Last Temptation of Christ,” and “First Reformed,” contain faith themes but are not broadly categorized as Christian movies.
Dergarabedian warned that calling a film “faith-based” can confine it to a niche audience, saying, “If you’re buying in on going to the movie theater for a faith-based movie, you know you’re gonna have people around you who are really into the experience. The minute you say faith-based though, it kind of puts a movie in a box.”
Future Outlook
Many Christian viewers celebrate the trend for its financial and artistic gains. Phil Wickham, a Grammy-nominated artist voicing David in Angel’s film, said, “Growing up, anything that was Christian media felt so preachy… now there’s more opportunity to tell bigger stories with excellence and beauty.”
Jason Klarman, Fox News Media’s chief digital and marketing officer, noted that “Hollywood usually follows money,” adding that even if the trend fades, studios will continue producing faith-based content. Fox Nation’s slate includes Zachary Levi’s “David: King of Israel” docudrama.
Key Takeaways
- The Chosen’s theatrical run has grossed over $116 million domestically.
- Angel’s “David” pre-sales surpassed $14 million before release.
- Studios like Lionsgate and Amazon are expanding faith-based portfolios with new releases and exclusive rights.
The continued success of faith-based films and series demonstrates that religious storytelling can draw large audiences and generate significant revenue, while sparking debate over how such content should be labeled and marketed.
